The Vikings

Their surprising origins and impact, raiding and trading, mead hall, runes and Ragnarok

What you'll learn
Students will see that the Nordic Culture has surprising origins, having migrated from quite far away.
They will learn that the Vikings did raid, quite violently, raping and pillaging. They also traded, creating a vast network that spanned Europe.
Students will see the home cultures that sent these warriors out to prey upon others, and why. They will learn about their customs that live on still today.
Students will experience the Runes, the magical alphabet of the Norse, and see their use as talismans, symbols of power and use as counsel!

Requirements
Curiosity
Interest in all aspects of the Vikings and their culture

Description
The Vikings are a fascinating group from our Western History, who's impact endures still to this day. In English, we use their words, and name their gods, almost daily. But who were they, really, and where did they originate? The answer to this is quite surprising and we will leave Scandinavia and find it in Central Asia! Their impact was significant and predates their supposed beginning by several hundred years as that original migration, and the affects of it created ripples throughout the Mediteranean, the Roman Empire and then Germania and Britannia. In a time of challenging survival, the Vikings introduced their own form of brutality that surpassed that of others. We will see why. They sailed over thousands of miles of sea, with skills still not fully known and spread their culture from North America to Central Asia and Constantinople. We will see all of this, plus a look at the culture they had in their Nordic base, the strength of their women and their culture of blood. We will look at the Runes, much more than symbols of their language but a system of fortunetelling, and symbols of power. And lastly we will look at Ragnarok, the fabled twilight of the Gods.

Who this course is for
Anyone of Nordic heritage, or otherwise interested in these fascinating people.